Many employers require that employees wear badges for identifying authorized personnel in an employer's facility. Many of those employers, therefore, also require visitors to wear badges to confirm that the visitor has checked-in at a designated checkpoint. Beyond safeguarding against misuse of an employer's intellectual property, such check-in is often required so that, in the event of an emergency, all persons may be accounted for.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,733,231B2 (Carney et al) describes a security device with a printed portion and a display portion. The printed portion includes a printed photograph and printed information relating to the person's identification, occupation, security level, etc. The display portion may be an e-paper surface or other type of display, that displays information, by text or image, based on data from another security device. For example, the display portion may display the default information “Inactive,” alongside the printed portion of the device. Carney et al describe a variety of embodiments of the security badge, many that are very complex in scope, but most relate to use by a person on a more permanent basis than for a visitor's badge.
That is, such a security badge as described in Carney et al may be well-suited to a more permanent use by an employee. However, it is very complex for a visitor badge.
Some companies print visitor identification information on a label having an adhesive backing. Adhesive backings however often fail on some fabrics (for example, heavy woven wool), while being too aggressive on other fabrics (for example, lightweight silk). Alternatively, the label may be designed to be carried in a plastic sleeve that can be pinned or clipped to a visitor's article of clothing or hung from a visitor's neck with a lanyard, for example. Still other companies provide a generic “visitor” badge that demonstrates that the visitor has passed through an identification check-point and is authorized to be on site. However, many badges do not provide a display that can be readily authenticated by security personnel or other employees walking past a visitor in a hallway, for example. Without an image of the person for whom the badge was intended, visitor badges may be inadvertently or fraudulently provided to unauthorized persons. Furthermore, label printers are notorious for breaking down or running out of ink at the most inopportune times, for example, when a large number of visitors arrive at the same time or a very important visitor is awaiting check-in.
There is a need for an identification badge system that is more easily implemented. There is also a need for an identification badge system that is reusable.